Tapering Fun (NOT)

[Elizabeth]

I am now down to 50mg of Trazodone from 200mg in one month. 120mg of Cymbalta to be dealt with down the road.
My psych tried to up me to 400mg of Trazodone 2 months ago and I refused but not to her face. She thinks I am on it! Sleep is out of whack but at least my mind is becoming more clear. I cancelled my last appointment with her but have to go in the New Year in order to keep tackling the taper. I am also afraid of being "formed" by her. She has done that when I am not compliant and I have been hospitalized against my will. Has anyone had that happen to them? The most degrading of experiences.
(couldn't resist that one)

I notice that the best time of day is the morning until 3pm. I take Traz and Cymbalta at bedtime so I am thinking that the drug is still in my system and then craves the meds by mid-afternoon. In the past I have just resorted to taking them again b/c the W/D is so bloody awful. Now I that I'm riding it out and seeing some benefit, I am not looking back. Period. Right now I am so agitated I can't lie down, even with a headache. I can't go out for a short walk b/c it is freezing cold here. The nausea is not too bad right now but I have motion sickness tablets that help with it. I'd like to do it more naturally but how?

Sheila, do you still have nausea? What has worked for you?

[Luc]

Elizabeth, just to make sure - please, remember to go slowly with the taper from now on. Very often, you feel the worsening only after some time after the drop. Good job with psychiatrist - don't let them convince you otherwise. They know nothing about the true nature of those toxins. And even if some may do, they go in denial.

Yes, being hospitalized against your will is the most inhumane, barbaric thing. Some folks on our forum have been through this, too.

[Chris]

Welcome to IAWP. For nausea try ginger. I tapered from 100 to 50 mg several years ago and then nausea was one of my biggest symptoms. I find that by tapering slowly now,its not as bad, but the nausea did hit a few days ago. One of the things I have to remember is to be proactive. I don't have any one to take care of me so i need to take care of myself. I was caught off guard when the nausea hit. I need to always have ginger on hand. The brain fog hit the same day as the nausea and that brain fog makes good decision making tough. So instead of taking ginger, I ate a bunch of junk. so important to be proactive even though, like most people, when I'm sick I want someone to take care of me.

ALso, sweet syrup is said to help with nausea, so I make a tea out of ginger and agave syrup. For me the biggest challenge now is how to deal with the w/d hyperness without increasing brain fog the next day. i bloody well do need something to sleep, but what? I'm used to dealing with brain fog with caffeine but that is out due to the adrenaline rush of w/d. I don't want to call the nerve excitation that comes with w/d "anxiety", because I'm not anxious about anything, but I do have a sense of adrenaline surge. I don't want to call it anxiety because that just feeds into the big lie that w/d is relapse of a mood disorder.

[Chris]

I don't know how this works, but couldn't you go to a shrink who won't incarcerate you?
A few years back, I was shocked when I found out that doctors have police powers. Are you sure that you can't assert your right to refuse treatment? I know they can be big bullies, but last I heard we still have some rights.
Knowing that doctors have police powers (the power to lock you up) explains alot about why they see themselves as all -knowing and all-powerful.

[Elizabeth]

Luc, thanks for your concern, I will be slowing down my taper as I have found the last month horrific.

Annie, nice to meet you. Thanks for your tips re: nausea. As for the shrink, there aren't many in my area. When I have tried to taper and got sick from the W/D, I stupidly admitted that I had suicidal thoughts (brought on by the drugs!!!) which is where being "formed" and hospitalized enters the equation. I told her I was trying to taper (wrong thing to say!) and therefore she saw me as non-compliant. I had to lie my way out of the hospital saying I was fine, no more suicidal thoughts and it worked. I've only had the misfortune of being in the hospital 4 times and it's no better than a prison. The last time was 2 years ago. Now that I am understanding W/D and it's lovely symptoms, I just see my thoughts and physical symptoms for what they are: W/D and the meds. I am feeling more clear as these toxins are leaving my body. I just present myself as doing well to my shrink and take the scripts so I can continue tapering. It IS frightening how much power these people have and the damage they can do to someone's life.

[Elizabeth]

Terrible night for me. My head feels like a lead balloon, unbearable nausea and VERY anxious. This too shall pass.

[Chris]

Elizabeth--that's great you talked your way out of lock up.
I am also working on my own perception of the w/d symptoms --like trying to cope with rebound hyperness by seeing it as a neuro toxin reaction rather than a response to an external threat, in other words not anxiety in the traditional sense. I try to see it as nerve excitation, nerve inflammation--more like a physical condition like flu than a mental scary thing. It's like in kids--if the adults around them are expressing fear when they get injured, they feel more fear and pain. I'm trying to be the adult to my kid with the rebound nerves because they can be quite troublesome. Yesterday I got into some waves and just barely "dodged a bullet" due to a sudden neuro-anger reaction. I got a major break there. could have been much worse. I will take that as a major intervention from guardian angel, a heads up to be cool!!

[Elizabeth]

Terrible night for me. My head feels like a lead balloon, unbearable nausea and VERY anxious. This too shall pass.

Woke up late this a.m. after a bumpy night but I survived. Someone posted about not focusing on the symptoms but I'm not sure where. I think that's a good idea. Walked this a.m. It cleared my head. Christmas is tomorrow so will have to pace myself. :)

[Sheila]

Elizabeth -- I'm so sorry you have been involuntarily hospitalized when it was not necessary for your safety. Your current psychiatrist sounds like a very reactive, over-hospitalizing professional. I wish you could find someone else to get your script from. Keep thinking. Maybe you can even work with someone over the phone.

In the meantime, you know what to say and what not to say....Own your power, Elizabeth! You know a lot about what's going on with you, and you're learning more by the day. Trust yourself!



Check here for some more nausea tips --

http://antidepressantwithdrawal.info...ghlight=nausea

http://antidepressantwithdrawal.info...ghlight=nausea

http://antidepressantwithdrawal.info...ghlight=nausea

[Chris]

yesterday was a bad nausea day for me. I had been on a low sugar, low glycemic diet but with this Wave of w/d nausea I need to be flexible and address the current problem. Most foods that are good for low-glycemic tend to have fiber, are whole grain, and on the end of the spectrum of "hard to digest."
The w/d nausea seems to be more like seasickness--related to balance--and not caused by food the way much nausea is. Therefore, as the vanguard in this brave new world, we must be flexible and innovative. During the nausea wave here's what worked for me : plain frozen yogurt and rice crackers.
Also, you might want to try the wrist bands that are for seasickness.